Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College volleyball team closed out their season series against NEC foe Chicago State University with a win at Ted Grant Court on Saturday afternoon. The Dolphins came away with their first 3-0 victory of the season, taking the three sets 25-18, 25-22, 29-27 and now sit with a 3-14 overall record while going 2-3 in conference play this season.
In set one, Le Moyne worked to a quick 6-3 lead and the team was able to hold on throughout the entirety of the set, eventually taking it 25-18 after winning five of the final six points. Set two was tied at 11 midway through before the Dolphins worked to four straight points and took the set, 25-22, after a final kill by junior opposite hitter Branwyn Lupton (Napanee, O.N. / Napanee District Secondary School). Le Moyne fought hard in set three, withstanding a trio of three-point runs by the Cougars as sophomore outside hitter Denali Louden (Murrieta, C.A. / Murrieta Mesa) recorded the final two kills to take the set and match, 29-27.
Louden led Le Moyne with a match-high 13 kills while Lupton added another 11 against the Cougars. Senior setter/DS Haley Gerken (Buffalo, N.Y. / Frontier) led all players with 20 assists while sophomore libero/DS Brooke Menke (St. Louis, M.O. / Visitation Academy) tied for the match-high with six service aces in the victory.
On the defensive end, Louden led the Dolphins with 17 digs while Menke added eight in the match, as well. Freshman middle hitter Eiley Schneider (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) led Le Moyne with four block assists against Chicago State.
For Chicago State, Zeynap Ertam and Nayella George led in kills with 11 and 10, respectively, while Leah Linares Castro led the team in assists with 17 in the loss. George also added four service aces to round out Chicago State's offense. Defensively, Linares Castro and Alyssa Ferreira each tallied 10 digs as Tarcy Mayah registered the match's lone block solo and Nia Cummings led the team with four block assists.
What's Next:
The Dolphins will travel to North Easton, Mass. for two NEC matches against Stonehill next weekend, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18.
